KEY POINTS:
Crusaders and All Black lock Ali Williams turned sheriff wading in and breaking up a fight in Christchurch on Saturday night.
Williams and a couple of Crusaders teammates were out celebrating their team's Super 14 semifinal win over the Hurricanes when they came upon a fracas in the inner city.
Williams' actions were captured on film and shown yesterday on One News.
The big lock, no stranger to off-field misbehaviour himself, was seen getting in amongst a group of five or six brawling young men, and stopping the fight.
Max Rooney, who filmed Williams on his cellphone, said a group of people aged about 20 to 25 were arguing and then a brawl broke out.
"Then Ali Williams rushed up and saved the day."
Afterward he posed for a picture with Mr Rooney's girlfriend.
"Ali Williams is, like, renowned for doing a bit of bad things but this time he just, like, handled it real well," Mr Rooney said.
Williams said anyone else would have done the same.
The big lock ended six seasons with the Blues in controversial fashion last year, walking away from the franchise following a rift with coach David Nucifora.
Williams was also sent home from South Africa before the Blues' semifinal as punishment for off-field misdemeanours.
- NZPA
